Collapsible bench



Dec. 3, 1929. J. A. GREEN COLLAPSIBLE BENCH Filed Dec. 22, 1927 INVENTOR Janzes A. G'reen ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 3, 1929 URAT'IUN (ll? CONNECT- GOLLAPSIBLIE BENCH l-l) lication filed December 22 1921?. Serial "N0. M1 Watt.

lhis invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to a folding bench including a plurality of vertical frames and adaptr ed to be collapsed by pushing said frannes inwardly.

One object of this invention is to provide a folding bench of the above nature in which each pair of adjacent vertical frames are connected by inclined cross ineinbers pivoted at their lower ends in said frames and having their upper ends mounted to slide up and down in grooves formed in said frames.

A further object is to provide a folding bench of the above nature in which the upright frames are connected by seats and backs of flexible canvas.

A further object is to provide a folding bench of this nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, ornamental in appearance, compact when not in use, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view there has been disclosed on the accompanying drawings one form in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

1 represents a perspective front view of the folding bench as it appears in open position.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective View showing the bench in substantially closed position.

Fig.

u is a perspective fragmentary view showing some of the parts of the bench in separated relation. 1

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals 10 and 11 indicate generally a pair of upright side frames located at the ends of the bench, and the numerals 12 and 12-5 indicate generally a pair of intermediate upright frames located between the side frames 10 and 11. Each of the side frames 10 and 11 comprises a vertical front leg l t, a rear leg 15, an arm rest 16, and a pair of horizontal strips 17 and 18, the parts of said frames being rigidly connected together in any suitable inanner. The vertical legs i l and 15 are provided above the strips 17 with grooves 19, said grooves being located on the inner sides of said legs.

The intermediate frames 12 13 comprise front and rear 21, which are rigidly connected together by arni rests and a pair of horizontal strips 23 and 9d. 'lhe 20 and E21, however, are substantially twice as wide as the legs 14.- and 15 of the side frames 10 i ll. Also instead of the sin l grooves 19 provided on the interior of the legs 14.; and l5, each of the legs 20 and 21 of the intmediate frames 12 and 13 are provided w ith a pair of parallel grooves 25 on the inner sides thereof.

In order to form back rests for the collapsihle bench, provision is made of a plurality of flexible canvas strips 26 fastened securely tothe rear of the legs 15, 21, 21, and 15, re spectively, as by brass upholstery nails. The canvas strips 26 are adapted to fold forwardly autoniiatically when the side frames and intermediate frames are moved from the open position shown in lto the collapsed position shown in Fig. 2.

The seats of the bench comprise a plurality of flexible canvas strips 2'? attached as by brass nails to a plurality of pairs of vertically slidable horizontal bars 28, said. bars having pins 29 on their extremities which are adapted to project into the grooves 19 ant 5 previously mentioned.

In order to permit each chair of the bench to be independently laterally collapsed when not in use, each of said. chairs provided with two pairs of lazy tongs or intersecting inclined cross legs 30 and 31, said cross legs being pivoted together by bolts 32.

The upper ends of the inclined cross legs 30 and 31 are rigidly secured to the slidable horizontal bars 28, while the lower ends of said cross legs are rigidly secured to a plurality of horizontal bars 33 which are swiveled, as by pins 34 on their extremities, in recesses 35 in the front legs 14- and 20, and. the rear legs 15 and 21 of the upright frames.

In operation, when it is desired to collapse the bench, it will only be necessary for the user to push the side frames 10 and 11 toward each other until they engage the interme diate frames 12 and 13. If desired, the bench may be left in this condition and used as a single seated chair with wide arm rests. To completely collapse the chair, the frames will then be pushed further inwardly as far as they will go. Duringthe collapsing operations, the cross legs 80 and 31 of the lazy tongs will move about their pivot bolts 32 until said legs are substantially vertical as shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the lower horizontal bars 33 will merely swivel in their sockets in the bench legs, while the upper horizontal rods 28 will slide upwardly in the grooves 19 or 25. It will also bev understood that the bench may be employed as a two-seat bench by collapsing any one of the three chairs of which the bench is composed, or as a one-seat bench by collapsing any two of said chairs.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

In a portable collapsible bench, a pair of side frames, a pair of'interm'ediate frames located between said side frames, each of said frames consisting of a-front leg and a rear leg connected by an arm rest, flexible seats and back rests connecting each pair of adjacent frames, said adjacent frames being also connected by lazy tongs cross legs, said cross legs being pivotally secured to the bottoms of said frames and having their upper ends slidably secured to said frames, the front and rear legs of said side frames having single interior grooves, and the front and rear legs of said intermediate frames having double interior grooves for permitting said cross legs to slide up and down therein, whereby said bench may be folded into a small lateral space by pushing said frames together. a

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

JAMES A. GREEN. 

